Cristiano Ronaldo recorded his 901st career goal, scoring the winner in Portugal’s victory over Scotland in the UEFA Nations League.
Recall the 39-year-old superstar had reached a landmark 900-goal mark after he scored against Croatia in the first match.
The game against Scotland saw the Portuguese rose to the occasion again for the Roberto Martino-led side. Two of his former Manchester United team-mates Bruno Fernandes and Scott Mctominay opened the scoring in the game.
Bruno Fernandes had given the hosts the lead but Scott McTominay led Scotland to fight back and draw the game level.
It nearly ended in a 1-1 draw before Cristiano Ronaldo pulled a late stunner and netted the winner for the Selecao three minutes before regulation time.
A blistering run by AC Milan star Rafael Leao was followed by a deep cross into the box that initially avoided a mob of competing players before dropping at the feet of Ronaldo who finished first time with ease.
He then quickly ran off celebrating with his national team colleagues who mobbed the Real Madrid and Man United legend as he struck his iconic siuuu celebration.
Cristiano Ronaldo benched in the Scotland match
Despite nearing the twilights of his career, Cristiano Ronaldo has been a cog in Portugal national team. Under Roberto Martinez, he has not started a match from the bench. The former Belgium manager is known to have immense respect for the Portuguese and considers him key to his squad.
However, it appeared the table turned in the match against Scotland. Ronaldo started from the bench before coming on to make a difference late in the second half.
Speaking after the game, Roberto Martinez disabused the minds of interrogators over Ronaldo making the substitute bench for the first time in his managerial spell with Portugal.
According to him, it was not his (Roberto Martínez’s) decision to start Cristiano Ronaldo from the bench, adding that the footballer wanted to be rested after playing the full 90 minutes against Croatia.
“He is a big asset to the team. It was not my decision to start him from the bench but he wanted it. As a captain, he has shown exemplary attitude and is crucial to this squad, ” Roberto Martinez says.
Ronaldo hints on retirement plans after landmark career goal
The question that has been on the lips of football fans is how long Cristiano Ronaldo may tarry in the game. The Al-Nassr celebrated his 39th birthday recently and the conversation has shifted to his retirement from international football.
Notably, the calls for him to hang the boots got louder after he blanked in all five matches for Portugal during the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany. It was the first time the Real Madrid legend has failed to score a single goal in a major tournament for Portugal since his rise to global stardom in soccer.
However, it appears the iconic football ace is not ready to quit soon. According to him, he has more dreams and is ready to continue and chase it.
”It’s a unique milestone in my career and it was with a lot of emotion I celebrated that goal. It represents a lot.
”It was the number I wanted to achieve for a long time and I knew I would achieve it because, as I continue to play, it would happen naturally.
”I already won two trophies for Portugal, something I really wanted. Whatever comes next is spectacular. I dreamed of this and I have more dreams,” he said.
We reported earlier that Cristiano Ronaldo may stick around until the 2026 World Cup in the United States. The footballer flaunted a World Cup trophy in the background of one of his YouTube videos on his recently created YouTube channel, signifying his undying dreams to win it for Portugal in his career.
